1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembly for washing and wiping the windshield of an automobile, particularly an improved windshield washer and wiper assembly capable of removing solid matter such as dried insect debris from the windshield of an automobile.
2. General Background
All automobiles are equipped with windshields or wind screens which require periodic cleaning while the vehicle is in operation. All such vehicles are likewise equipped with windshield wipers which are adapted to move in a back-and-forth motion in order to sweep across a major portion of the windshield and remove water therefrom. Conventional windshield wipers are adapted to function in a "squeegee" manner--that is, the rubber windshield wiper blades scrape across the windshield surface and remove water therefrom. Most automobiles produced after the early 1970's are also provided with windshield washer fluid delivery systems, wherein cleaning fluid may be delivered under pressure to the windshield to aid the windshield wipers in removing dirt or dust therefrom. Windshield wipers have been designed so that they bear against the windshield with a moderate amount of force sufficient to sweep the surface of the windshield clean, but generally not enough to effect any scrubbing action by the wiper blade, since the purpose of the wiper blade is to remove water.
The problem that has existed for some time is that when solid matter such as flying or airborne insects impact against the windshield of a rapidly moving automobile, the body fluids of the insect, and to some degree the exterior body parts, adhere to the windshield and are quickly dried thereon. The resulting windshield smear is, for the most part, impossible to remove by the squeegee action of a conventional windshield wiper blade, even when assisted with windshield washing fluid.
Several devices have been patented which are aimed at removing solid matter from the windshield of an automobile.
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) International Publication No. WO 80/01155 discloses, as best seen in FIGS. 2-4, a combination scrubber/wiper system for a vehicle windshield that has a jacking means 14 which, in use, can urge brush 44 toward and against windscreen 48, then causing the wiper blade 10 to be lifted out of contact with windscreen 48, and can cause or permit withdrawal of brush 44, thereby permitting the wiper blade 10 to reengage windscreen 48. Jack 14 is pneumatically actuated with a spring return 37; in particular, cylinder 26 is connected by passage 36 to hose 38 through which air can be supplied and exhausted to actuate jack 14. Also, the operation of the device is associated with the operation of a windscreen washer, as water can be delivered through a perforated pipe extending along the length of brush 44.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,593 issued to J. C. Gilliam, III, et al., and entitled "Windshield Wiper And Cleaner" teaches, as best disclosed in FIGS. 1-3, a combined windshield wiping and cleaning device that has a scrubbing member 3 with a reticular surface 7 covered by mesh 6 for removing solid matter along with a wiper blade 2 for squeegee removal of water. Scrubber 3 and wiper blade 2 are formed together with a supporting base as a single monolithic extrusion 1 of an elastomeric material which fits into the windshield wiper arm in the conventional manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,621 issued to R. L. Alley, Jr., and entitled "Composite Windshield Wiper Assembly" discloses, as best seen in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a windshield wiper assembly that also has a window wiper and scrubber in combination as an integral unit. The assembly A has a pair of spaced wiper blade elements 42 and 44 having thin resilient wiping edges 42a and 44a, respectively, and scrubbing block 50 in the space between blade elements 42 and 44. The scrubbing block 50 includes a protrusion 52 which extends past the wiping edges 42a and 44a to provide a light scrubbing action against windshield 12.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,457 issued to Dayco Corporation on the application of B. R. Lunsford and entitled "Windshield Wiper And Method Of Making Same" discloses, as best seen in FIGS. 1, 4 and 8, another window wiper and scrubber combination 30 which comprises a pair of wiping members 32 in spaced-apart relationship and a cleaning member 33 disposed therebetween, cleaning member 33 has a semi-cylindrical portion 35 which is adapted to engage the windshield surface 12 roughly midway between wiping members 32 during cleaning movements of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,827 issued to The B.F. Goodrich Company on the application of J. P. Coropolis, et al., and entitled "Window Washer Seal Assembly" discloses, as best seen in FIGS. 1-3, a windshield wiper assembly 10 that inflates so that the wipers 12 and 13 engage the surface of the windscreen 25 yet at the same time sprays washer fluid 37 from reservoir 36. An inflatable resilient tube or bladder 11 carries the pair of blades 12 and 13 engagable with the windscreen 25. Washer fluid 37 is pumped (35) into the tube 11 between blades 12 and 13 and ejected through the holes 26 in the tube 11. One of the blades 12 or 13 may extend into engagement with windscreen 25 in the deflated condition of tube 11 for sealing the space between the tailgate and windscreen 25 and at least one of the blades 12 or 13 may be brought into wiping engagement with windscreen 25 upon inflation of tube 11 during the washing operations.
Other patents present in the art are U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,872 entitled "Windshield Wiper And Washer"; U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,049 entitled "Window Wiper Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,517 entitled "Windshield Wiper Blade"; all of which are directed to cleaning a windshield of an automobile, but do not meet the needs of the assembly of the present invention.
The apparatus of PCT International Publication No. WO 80/01155 is overly complex, requiring a source of compressed air to actuate the device. Furthermore, the device is not easily installed on the wiper arm of an automobile; the device must be mounted with bolts.
The devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,649,593; 4,567,621; 4,327,457; 3,849,827; 4,060,872; 3,871,049; and 4,754,517 all do not use conventional wiper blades such as come equipped with an automobile. Furthermore, the devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,327,457; 3,849,827; and 3,871,049 are designed to work on non-oscillating wiper arms. Also, the devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,327,457; 3,849,827; 4,060,872 and 3,871,049 do not use a brush to clean solid matter from the windshield of an automobile.
Thus, a need exists for a windshield washer and wiper assembly for cleaning solids from the windshield of an automobile which combines the function of cleaning and scrubbing solid matter with the function of wiping and squeegee removal of fluid in a single element through the proper combination of scrubbing, fluid application and squeegee action.
A need also exists for an assembly with the above features which is easily installed and operated in the standard wiper arm assembly now commonly used to perform only the wiping or squeegee removal of water on the windshield of an automobile.
A need also exists for an assembly with the above features which can use a conventional wiper blade such as comes equipped with an automobile.
Also, a need exists for an assembly with the above features which operates on an oscillating wiper arm of an automobile.
A need also exists for an assembly with the above features which is simple in design and easy and economical to manufacture.